Shattered
by Tessa Krystal
Summary: Broken to pieces. Shattered to bits. Though it was always covered with a smile. They acted like there was nothing wrong. They acted like everything was perfectly okay. They laughed, they grinned. They pretended as if their lives weren't crumbling to dust. They wore masks, facades, that only came off when they were alone, when no one could see them. Until, one day, someone did.
1. Prologue

Broken to pieces. Shattered to bits. Though it was always covered with a smile. They acted like there was nothing wrong. They acted like everything was perfectly okay. They laughed, they grinned. They pretended as if their lives weren't crumbling to dust. They wore masks, facades, that only came off when they were alone, when no one could see them. Until, one day, they saw right through each other.

…

His eyes were bleary when he opened them and had to blink a few times so he could see straight. His head was throbbing, his vision swimming, as he pushed himself off the floor into a sitting position. Where was he? He recognized his bed, the blue bedspread mused as always, unfinished homework scattered on the floor and and desk, his untouched textbooks spilling out of his beat-up backpack. He was home, but why was he on the floor? As he started to wake up, his senses sharpened and he looked around. Blood. He could feel it trickling down his forehead, weaving it's way through his black hair. _He_ had hit him with a bottle the pervious night. He was drunk again, no surprise there, when the young man got home from work. For some reason, he was pissed off and decided that it would be okay to colober his step-son upside the head with his half full beer bottle. Not only was there blood on his carpet and dried in his hair, he also reeked of the foul stench of beer.

He dragged himself off the floor, immediately clutching onto the wall for support as his vision went around and around in circles. After a few minutes, it cleared and he snuck off towards the bathroom, praying that _he_ was still knocked out. He made it without being caught by _him_ or his mom and stared at himself in the mirror. He looked empty. Broken. A shell of who he used to be. His black hair was crusted with blood, his sea-green eyes looked hollow. Dark bags hung underneath them, making him looking twenty years older than his eighteen years of age. He looked pale and exhausted. He looked like a mess. He _was_ a mess.

…

"Who are you trying to impress, sweetheart? With a body like that, you'll never catch anyone's attention!" The blonde bit her lip and kept her head down, ignoring the taunts that pierced her like needles. The sad thing was, she was used to this by now. She got it at school and home. It seemed like she couldn't catch a break.

"Hey! Don't walk away from me!" The girl, Violet, exclaimed and stamped her foot.

When the blonde didn't acknowledge her, she marched right up to her, her black heels stamping on the ground and caught her by her blonde curls.

She cried out, dropping all the books in her arms and letting them fall to the floor. Violet shoved her into the wall, watching in satisfaction as she hit the lockers with a yelp and fell to the ground.

"That'll teach you, Annie." Violet growled before turning on her heel and walking away, her friends, who were laughing throughout the whole exchange, following her down the hall. The small, incredibly thin, blonde girl slumped against the lockers and curled into a ball on the ground. Tears stung her eyes as she finally moved to pick up all her books. She wouldn't cry. She refused to cry. That would only give them satisfaction. Still, a traitor tear slipped from her silver-gray eyes and she let it roll down her cheek. She felt someone's gaze on her and looked up, meeting his gaze. She had seen him before, but had never personally talked to him. His green eyes are sad and compassionate and she immediately looks away. She doesn't want his pity. She doesn't need his pity. She was fine.

She gathered the rest of her books and shakily stood up, ignoring the headache that was starting to form, and walked down the hall. She could feel the boy's gaze on her back the entire time.

….

He pressed his back against the wall, tears escaping his brown eyes. This couldn't be happening. No, it couldn't.

"Oh, look! The wimp is crying!" One boy taunted as he passed and the girl beside him giggled.

The boy with dark hair swiped angrily at the tears, but they wouldn't stop.

"What's wrong with him?" One girl whispered.

"He's just a baby."

"Why is he crying?"

"That's just stupid. He doesn't show emotion."

"It's probably just for attention?"

"What, do you need your mommy?"

The last one made him snap. He stood quickly, his face a mask of rage. Everyone took a few steps back, their eyes wide as the boy in the leather jacket stomped past them.

Drake Evans had a smug smirk on his face as the dark haired boy ran away.

"That's right! Run! Go find your mom, you wimp!" He called after him, a couple of his boy laughing.

He sprinted out of the school, despite the fact that it was the middle of the day. He hopped onto his motorcycle and pulled out of the school parking lot, heading to the only place he could think of to go. He pulled up there a few minutes a few minutes later and approached the building. Nobody stopped him as he entered, everyone know who he was. He opened the door and sat in the chair that had recently become his bed. He reached for her hand and clasped it tightly. Tears stung his eyes and his lower lip wobbled.

"Hi, Mom." His voice broke as he collapsed into a round of sobs.

…

"God, you're such a slut, Grace!" The girl scoffed, an annoying giggle bubbling from her perfectly glossed lips.

The girl gritted her teeth. "Give me back my clothes and look in a mirror!" She growled.

She waved around her clothes tauntingly. "Maybe this will teach you a lesson about leaving your clothes around while showering. I mean, I've always known that you were sluty, but now you're showing your true colors!" She wrinkled her bunny-like nose. "Very white and pale, if I say so myself."

"Good thing I wasn't asking you!" She spat. "Now give me back my clothes before I break your face!"

The girl rolled her eyes before turning on her heel. "Next time." She growled. "Think twice before you insult me!"

She walked out of the locker room without another glanced, leaving the pale girl shivering in nothing but her small towel. Every fiber in her body screamed. She hated that girl. She hated her so much. She wasn't a slut or a whore or a hoe. She was normal… right? Right…

She didn't know what to do next. She had extra clothes, but they were in her locker on the other side of the school. She could always put her gym clothes back on, but that… _thing_ took her bra and then she really would look like a slut. She slid down the tiled wall, wrapping the towel around her shivering body. She dropped her forehead to her knees, feeling miserable.

….

Broken, bruised, and battered.

One event brings the four strangers together.

Four Strangers. Four problems. All shattered.

...

 **A/N: Hello, world! Tessa K, here! So, you just read my latest story, but whether I continue it or not is completely up to you! Honestly, it started out as a one-shot in my head, but I decided that it would make a pretty interesting story! I hope you guys liked it, please make sure to leave a review and tell me if I should continue or not. I might, I might not, it all depends on how busy I am!**

 **xoxo,**

 **Tessa K**


	2. Percy

**Percy**

Percy sighed as he finally got off his shift. He collapsed at an open booth, slumping against the seat and burying his head in his arms. He was completely exhausted and the large bruise on his arm was throbbing violently. Carrying platters and trays around all night hadn't helped at all. He knew that all this hard work and exhaustion was worth it though. He was helping his mom, supporting her, despite what the other kids at his school said. He grimaced when he thought about them. They normally never messed with him, knowing how scary he could get. With the exhaustion from working everyday after school to late in the night, to barely sleeping, to never ending school work. It was obvious he wasn't the friendliest person.

He hated watching the cliques at his school bully and push around others. His mind wandered to the girl he saw Violet pushing around. She looked so small and defenseless and he wanted nothing more than to step in and stop Violet's torture. But the Queen Bee would've made his life hell, for she is one of the people who flirt with the mysterious Percy Jackson instead of being afraid of him. He heard someone plop across in the seat across from him and he groaned before looking up. Jess sat across from him with raised eyebrows.

"Hey there, stranger."

Jess didn't work at the diner, one of the only resultants their incredibly small town possessed, but often came to visit Percy when he was on shift, which was every night. She was one of the only things that made it bearable.

"Hey yourself." He muttered.

"Whoa, someone's in a rotten mood tonight."

"What mood?"

"That mood." She retorted, flexing the arch of her foot.

He scanned over her appearance and decided that she must've just come from practice. Jessica Barley was a gymnast, and a extremely talented one at that. Her body moved in ways he didn't even know was possible and she was constantly training. She attended a school in the city that breathed the sport, but her family lived in the small town that was forty-five minutes away. She must be exhausted, yet here she was: Talking to him when she could be sleeping.

"What are you doing here, Jess?" He sighed. "You must be exhausted."

"I am." She admitted. "But I haven't seen you for a few days because of my tournament. I wanted to see you."

Jess was his best friend, though he never thought of her romantically before and knew that he never would.

"It's good to see you, Jessie." He said eventually, giving her a tired smile.

She beamed. "You too, buddy. And don't you even start on that whole 'exhausted' crap. We both know that you're more worn out than I am."

He sighed, silently telling her that she was right.

He worked all the time to make enough money to support his mom. That what he told himself when stingy customers scowled at him and complained. It's all for her. He would tell himself. She's worth it. Sally Jackson, Percy's mother, was the sweetest being to walk this earth. Brown hair, blue eyes that used to be full of bright life, a kind smile. She always smelled like sweets and cookies and one of her hugs could make his whole day. His mother was his whole world and he would do anything for her. But then she married someone who would never, ever, deserve her.

His stepdad, Gabe, was a drunk, sick bastard who shouldn't even exist. His mom married him when Percy was twelve and he was nice for the first few months. Gabe bought him presents, was sweet to his mother, even called him "son" every once in awhile. But then he turned into a complete ass. After he married Percy's mother, he decided that it was okay to blow all their money on alcohol and that hitting his mother was encouraged. Percy, of course, was _not_ okay with that. He intervened when he came home one day from school and saw Gabe slap his mom right across her face. Every day since then, he had taken the abuse so his mom wouldn't have to suffer. He wouldn't let anything hurt her, not if he could help it.

"Yo, Perce?" Jess said, snapping her fingers in front of his face and dragging him out of his thoughts. "Ya there?"

"What? Oh yeah." He nodded. "I'm good."

Jess scoffed. "Right. Good. You mean exhausted. You should seriously go home and get some rest. You look like a walking zombie."

"All zombie's walk."

"Oh, shut up."

He cracked a grin as she stood up.

"But seriously, Percy." She tugged on one of her chocolate brown curls. "You need sleep. As do I. I have practice at five AM tomorrow."

He grimaced and heard his name being called from the kitchen. "Yikes. Have fun."

"Always." She gave him a dazzling smile before fluttering her fingers over her shoulder. "I'll see ya, Perce."

He nodded as he stood and stretched, wincing at the pain the motion

"See you, Jessie."

He watched as she walked out of the small diner and skipped down the sidewalk. He was half expecting her to start flipping around, knowing that Jess was wild enough to do it. His name was bellowed from the kitchen again and he sighed before walking towards the voice.

 _It's all for her._ He reminded himself one again. _She's worth it._

 **S-H-A-T-T-E-R-E-D**

 **Hello, world of the Internet!**

 **Tessa K here again.**

 **I know that chapter above is short and they will all be that way until this story really kicks off. In case some of you were wondering about the order of the last chapter, it is: Percy, Annabeth, Nico, Thalia. That will be the POV order for this story, so you guys get a peek at Annabeth's life next! I would like to clarify that there is NO ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP between Jess and Percy. Jess is just a girl that Percy grew up with and constantly checks up on him, knowing he works himself too hard. She's a hard working gymnast and doesn't know all that much about what's going on in Percy's life. So please don't go off reviewing "SHE'S MESSING WITH PERCABETH" because, trust me, I'm a huge Percabeth shipper myself and, I promise, it will happen. It just takes time. With that, I'm signing off for the time being! Please review, they motivate me! I'm determined to finish this fic and your reviews help immensely!**

 **xoxo,**

 **Tessa K**


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